Snape sat hunched behind his desk, a sneer etched onto his sallow features. Endless stacks of parchment lay strewn about, each one a taunting reminder of the administrative burdens he despised. With a disdainful curl of his lip, his long, nimble fingers raked through his raven locks as he muttered a biting reproach under his bated breath. He never wanted this cursed role, yet fate delighted in saddling him with responsibilities he hadn't sought.

A sharp rap at the door cut through his embittered reverie. Snape's obsidian eyes sliced towards the sound, narrowing to inky slits. No doubt another sniveling student come to disturb the relative peace with some asinine grievance. It would certainly not be the faculty who viewed him as Dumbledore's backstabber, a traitorous coward unworthy of trust.

"Enter," he bit out, the curt command dripping with barely restrained disdain. His wand hand twitched, yearning to hex the inevitable headache that dared encroach upon his sanctum.